The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Church in a nutshell
Today some 80% of Finns are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The church is a well respected institution in Finland. The core roots of Finnish society lie in the work of the Church.
Most Finns come into contact with the Church every year for family occasions. These include weddings, burials and confirmation. Many Finns attend church only a few times a year: at Christmas and Easter.
These days Finland no longer has a state-church structure in the precise sense of the term. The system has been dismantled step by step to give greater internal independence to the Lutheran Church.
The church consists of 9 dioceses and some 460 parishes. Each parish is an independent working unit. The Church is responsible for its own finances. The parishes receive some 75% of their total income from church taxes.
See also
